The veteran singer and drummer was a 19-year-old Columbia University student when his then-brand-new band, Sha Na Na, performed immediately before Jimi Hendrix at the fabled Woodstock festival in 1969.

“We wouldn’t be talking if it weren’t for Jimi,” said Jocko, as he is known professionally. He credits the guitar legend, who died in 1970, for getting Sha Na Na booked at Woodstock and for insisting the band be allowed to take the stage after learning the festival’s promoters wanted to cut them from the bill at the last minute.

In 1978, Sha Na Na appeared with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the hit movie “Grease,” earning a Grammy nomination in the process. From 1977 to 1981, the proudly retro rock ’n’ roll group starred in the syndicated TV series “Sha Na Na.” Jocko is one of the band’s three remaining original members. He performed last year with Sha Na Na at the Hollywood Bowl, where fan (and head Foo Fighter) Dave Grohl — who is married to Jocko’s niece — sat in for a song.

So why is Jocko, a longtime La Jolla resident, now happily singing the blues on “Make It Simple,” his new solo album?

“Sha Na Na is great, and I love it — 45 years later, I better love it!” the Massachusetts native said with a smile. “But it’s very structured. (With) a blues situation, it’s ... wide open and it’s all about listening, getting the groove right and feeling it, really feeling it.”

In previous decades, Sha Na Na performed concerts on bills with such legends as Muddy Waters and Albert King. Jocko’s love for blues, vintage R&B, funk and more is showcased on “Make It Simple.”

The 14-song album teams him with such top San Diego musicians as guitarists Robin Henkel and Buzz Campbell, harmonica player Billy Watson and saxophonist Jonny Viau. It also features such nationally prominent artists as former Steely Dan guitarist Elliott Randall, ex-James Brown bassist Gordon Edwards and “Late Night With David Letterman” bassist Will Lee.

What makes "Make It Simple" even more notable is that, rather than cover vintage songs by well-known artists, Marcellino wrote or co-wrote all 14 of the album's selections. One of them, the rap-meets-second-line-inspired "Not In Our House," sounds like a potential theme song for the New Orleans Saints' home games.

“It’s good to see (Jocko) stretch, musically,” said veteran Sha Na Na bassist Tim Butler, who will be part of Jocko’s band at his Nov. 12 album release show at Proud Mary’s.

"It's always a mixed (musical) bag and that's what I really appreciate about working with (Jocko). It's not (a case of): 'We're gong to just do 'Sha Na Na songs.’ We'll also do (something by) Larry Williams."

Jocko nodded. "We'll sneak in Bobby "Blue" Bland's 'Farther On Up the Road,' and then we'll do 'Wooly Bully.' I've been dong 'Wooly Bully' for 50 years! And then we'll do Sonny Boy Williamsons' '(You Got to) Help Me Baby.' And these guys (in Sha Na Na) have chops in R&B and rock 'n' roll."

“Make It Simple” is, Jocko noted, the first album of his career to come out on CD. “I think I made one that was only available on 8-track (tape), a long time ago,” he said.

Jocko, 64, credits the weekly jam sessions at Proud Mary’s — hosted by radio station KSDS Jazz 88.3’s J Otis Williams — for inspiring “Make It Simple.” The album is available on iTunes, amazon.com and through jockomarcellino.com.

“(Guitarist) Mark Augustin and his trio are sort of the house band, and they have guest performers come in and do the first set,” Jocko said.

“They sort of inspired me to put this blues CD together (through my) hanging out at this jam. Because there are high school kids and old-time players, and people in between. J Otis does a good job of keeping it at a certain professional level. A lot of magic happens ... and it’s a fun thing.”